On Skin Cancer, It’s Clueless in Cleveland (and Chicago)

By Laura Landro

Residents of some of the heartland’s biggest cities aren’t very good at following dermatologists’ advice on preventing and detecting skin cancer, according to a new survey from the American Academy of Dermatology.

The medical society’s survey of more than 7,000 adults nationwide, released today as part of a month-long melanoma awareness program, ranked Cleveland, Chicago and Pittsburgh at the bottom of the heap of 26 cities when it comes to knowledge, attitudes and behaviors toward tanning, sun protection and skin cancer detection. In last-place Pittsburgh, 81% of respondents said people look more attractive with a tan, compared to 72% of the overall population surveyed.

While Hartford, Salt Lake City and Denver ranked highest in the “Suntelligence: How Sun Smart is Your City?” survey, general awareness of the sun’s risks is low; the survey found that only about 35% of all respondents correctly answered whether some types of ultraviolet (UV) rays are safe for your skin. ( Correct answer: All forms of UV exposure, from natural sunlight and artificial light sources such as tanning beds – are considered harmful.)

Moreover, close to 60% of respondents had never been screened for skin cancer by a health-care provider. Even in top-ranked Hartford, 48% of polled residents had never undergone a skin examination. Dermatologist Darrell Rigel, a professor at New York University Medical Center, tells the Health Blog that free skin cancer screening programs offered through the dermatology academy have gone a long way to help in early detection. But a major challenge is getting people to simply stay out of the sun and avoid tanning beds. “Over the years we’ve been somewhat successful with that message,” Rigel says. “But some people won’t change their behavior no matter what we do.”